River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-06-02
ADianond Ring.

When George Hall landed in te
gray old walls at Sing Sing last october
TO tarry there for five years he was the
most indignant darky in America.
Me swallow diamond ring?' he
said "How ridiculous. Why, one
would think was a fool and didn't
know that diamond rings were indi-
gestible.
That's just the way said the prison
clerk. The moment the police catch
a man being innocent and doing moth
ing they send him up here. Oh Lord,
what world this is
The black prisoner rolled his ewes
and wagged his head reproachfully at
the depraved universe
Hall had been convicted of stealing a
gold watch and diamond ring from the
store of David Kraus. in this city The
watch was found in his pocket and the
man who captured him declared that
Hall threw the diamond ring into his
mouth and swallowed it. Han defend
ed himself in court. He declared that
the diamond was known TO be the hard
est stone in the world and that no sane
man would ever swallow one.
Since that time the whereabouts of
the stolen diamond rirg has been IA
mystery.
The secret came out day or two
ago.
In order to make himself as COM
Portable a possible Hall approached
one of the Sing Sing life prisoners with
the proposition that he should be kept
constantly supplied with tea and sugar
The darky said that he would make il
worth the life prisoner while To enter
into such a contract. Looking care
fully around to see that no one observed
him, he put his fOreiinger into his
mouth and iished out a diamond ring
1t was brilliant stone and threw out
pretty sparklcs of fire The life prison
er slowed it away under his striped
jacket.
A day or two ago the life prisoner
presented the diamond ring to his
keeper The keeper in turn presented
it to Principal Keeper Connaughton.
Mr.. Connaughton yesterday turned
over the jewel to Warden Brush
Warden Brush sent for Hall He
is handsome Young darky. with a
high forehead and intelligent features.
He wears eyeglasses and uses rood
English.
"Well. Hall, how did you manage
to keep this ring in your possesSions''
asked the warden.
Il concealed it in my mouth.
is this the ring YOU were accused of
stealing?"
.'Oh. no; not much.
ITS rather curious that you should
be charged with swallowing a diamond
and happen TO have a diamond of your
own in your mouth, amt it?''
kind of curious.
WHO does this ring belong top
TO my cousin, Kitty Wilson, of Bal
timore"
did she give it to .Tou?'
mo, she lent it as "a keepsake. "
'Who made the charge of stealing
against you?"
''Kraus and Livingstone We're the
rappers.
..The what?"
The rappers.'
Where Ia heavens name did YOU
pick up that word? Its a new one. -
The persons the accused me are the
rappers. They raped against me.
Where did YOU learn the word?'
why, it's the word Butler always
uses.
"Butler? What Butler?"
"Gen. Ben. Butler | was his conf
dental clerk for long time.
Hall said that he was working in a
country tavern in Delaware when Gen.
Butler happened along on business a
few years ago. The old soldier took
liking to the colored lad and carried
him off to Boston Here he sent Hall
to school and supported him until he
was very good scholar. The prison
er declares that the New York ieweler
who sent him to prison never had in
his possession the diamond ring which
he carried to Sing Sing i'm his mouth
Warden Brush is anxious To return
the ring TO its proper owner. He Will
test the truth of Halls story 10y the ac-
curacy of the description which kraus
furnishes. If he fails to describe the
jewel now in Sing Sing it viii be kept
in trust and. given to the prisoner upon
his release. If, however, the ring IS
thoroughly identified in advance and
Kraus establishes his ownership IT Will
be returned with the consent of the
proper authorities York HeIGid.